Vehicles including utility vehicles, all-terrain vehicles, tractors, and others are known. Such vehicles may include engines, transmissions, and forced-air inducers (e.g., superchargers, turbochargers). By providing a vehicle with a charged powertrain assembly, the power output of the powertrain assembly may be increased.
A forced-air inducer, such as a supercharger or a turbocharger, operates by compressing pre-combustion air flowing into the engine. However, compressing the pre-combustion air may increase the temperature of the air. In order to maintain the temperature of the intake air, an intercooler may be provided to decrease the temperature of the charged or pressurized air flowing from the forced-air inducer and into the engine.
In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a utility vehicle, comprises a plurality of ground-engaging members, a lower frame supported by the ground-engaging members which has a front portion and a rear portion, an open-air seating area supported by the lower frame between the front and rear portions, an upper frame coupled to the lower frame and cooperating to generally surround the seating area, a powertrain assembly supported by the lower frame and including an engine, a shiftable transmission, and a continuously variable transmission, and a cooling assembly operably coupled to the powertrain assembly and extending from the front portion to the rear portion of the lower frame. The cooling assembly has a first cooling circuit configured to alter a temperature of the engine and a second cooling circuit configured to alter a temperature of intake air received within the engine.
In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a utility vehicle comprises a plurality of ground-engaging members and a frame assembly supported by the ground-engaging members, which has a lower frame and an upper frame. The lower frame has a front portion and a rear portion. The utility vehicle further comprises an open-air operator area supported by the frame assembly, a powertrain assembly supported by the rear portion of the lower frame which includes an engine, a shiftable transmission, and a clutch assembly, and a cooling assembly including a first heat exchanger positioned at the front portion of the lower frame for cooling the engine and a second heat exchanger positioned at the rear portion of the lower frame for cooling intake air for the engine.
In a further embodiment of the present disclosure, a utility vehicle comprises a plurality of ground-engaging members, a frame supported by the ground-engaging members, and a powertrain assembly supported by the frame. The powertrain assembly includes an engine supported by the frame having a crankshaft and a continuously variable transmission having a first clutch assembly operably coupled to the crankshaft, a second clutch assembly operably coupled to the first clutch assembly, and a housing generally enclosing the first and second clutch assemblies. The second clutch assembly includes a stationary sheave and a moveable sheave. The powertrain assembly also includes a shiftable transmission operably coupled to the engine through the continuously variable transmission. The shiftable transmission includes a housing having a mounting surface for coupling to the housing of the continuously variable transmission and a shaft operably coupled to the second clutch assembly. The shaft extends less than 160 mm from the mounting surface of the housing of the shiftable transmission and an inner surface of the moveable sheave is positioned less than 55 mm from the mounting surface of the shiftable transmission.
In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a utility vehicle comprises a plurality of ground-engaging members, a frame supported by the ground-engaging members, and a powertrain assembly supported by the frame. The powertrain assembly includes an engine supported by the frame, a continuously variable transmission supported by the frame and having a structural housing member, and a shiftable transmission operably coupled to the engine through the structural housing member of the continuously variable transmission. The shiftable transmission includes a first mounting surface coupled to a first portion of the structural housing member of the continuously variable transmission and the engine has a second mounting surface coupled to a second portion of the structural housing member of the continuously variable transmission, and mounting the first mounting surface of the shiftable transmission to the structural housing member fixes an orientation of the shiftable transmission relative to the engine.
In a further embodiment of the present disclosure, a utility vehicle comprises a plurality of ground-engaging members, a frame supported by the ground-engaging member, an operator area having side-by-side seating supported by the frame, and a powertrain assembly which includes an engine having a first cylinder, a second cylinder in line with the first cylinder, and a crankshaft. The engine is configured for a 270-degree firing timing. The powertrain assembly further includes a gaseous charger operably coupled to the engine.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, a utility vehicle includes a plurality of ground-engaging members, a frame supported by the ground-engaging members, an operator area including side-by-side seating, and a powertrain assembly supported by the frame. The powertrain assembly includes an engine supported by the frame, a turbocharger operably coupled to the engine and having a turbine housing and a compressor housing, and an exhaust manifold integral with the turbine housing of the turbocharger.
In yet a further embodiment of the present disclosure, a unitary housing member for a powertrain assembly of a vehicle comprises an exhaust manifold configured to mount to an engine, and a turbine housing of a turbocharger integral with the exhaust manifold.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Unless stated otherwise the drawings are proportional.